Chapter 23. Do you play chess
Oberon was pacing in the little clearing that was just before the sacred grove, his mind was troubled and he often found pacing did him a world of good. Papa stood on the little stone bridge watching the High King, musing over what he should do. The newly Fae being moved quietly toward the place where the King stood, "I wonder what good that does." He asked in a considerate tone.
"What?" Oberon asked.
"Pacing and mulling." Papa murmured.
The High King, very upset by the reports that were coming to him from Fae living in the Goblin community, sighed. "It does little or no good this time, any better ideas?"
"Do you play chess?" the recently mortal asked gently.
Oberon, making a grand motion in the air produced a fine chess board and pieces. "Do you?"
The man nodded, and took a seat. "I find that this is far more productive for the strategy of clear thoughts." He made the first move, and waited.
Oberon looked at the board, took a seat and made the second move. "I've an errant son," he confided; "It is he who is on my mind."
"I understand, I'm a father too… or I was…" Papa moved again. "Sons can give you such a surge of pride, but they can also burden one's soul."
"My son Jareth is the King of the Goblins," Oberon moved his piece but his eyes were on those of the man seated across from him.
Papa smirked, "I can't top that." He moved again. "What's he done that has you so… perturbed, this errant son?"
"He impregnated a mortal…." He saw Papa's brow go up, and added, "Oh I don't care about that… Hell, in his shoes I'd have done the same… did actually a few times."
Papa studied the board. "So?"
"Its how he went about it," Oberon sighed. "It was dishonest."
Papa moved, "I see, you're upset that he was dishonest."
"No," the High King sighed making another move. "I'm use to it… most of the Fae have their own code of honesty…. His is no worse than any others." He looked about without moving his head. "I think what really rankles me is he used my Queen's story as his bait."
"Who told you to tell the tale to Will Shakespeare in the first place?" countered the new Fae Bard in a challenge. "Had you kept that little tale to yourself…"
"Alright, I'm guilty of being overly proud of tricking my wife, and bragging about it… to a Bard." He moved another piece. "All men have their vanity, do they not?"
"I did." Winked the man, "So you're upset he used…" Papa stopped, and looked at Oberon. "You said your son's name is Jareth? And He's a King? Jareth… Jay King… That means the girl has to be my little Sarah?"
Oberon nodded.
For a moment Papa looked confused; "How?"
"I told you how, he used Tatiana's story!" Oberon moved again after Papa.
"But they were never alone…" Papa protested. "How could he…" He paused, thinking back to opening night and it's magic. He looked at Oberon with wide eyes. "On stage, in front of God and everybody?"
"The boy is a bit of an exhibitionist," Oberon admitted with a smirk.
Papa made his next move, muttering. "And I thought I had brass cahoonies."
"My Jareth is very flamboyant." Oberon toppled over one of Papa's pieces.
"He's an amazing voice," Papa retaliated by taking one of Oberon's. "So do I take it you don't approve of Sarah?" A defensive edge entered Papa's tone, Sarah was like one of his own.
Oberon frowned at the chess board, "I don't even know the girl…" He moved a piece, muttering a curse as he took his hand off and seeing his mistake.
Papa toppled the piece and sniffed. "Why don't you know her? She's a lovely little creature… I'd have thought you'd have made it your business to get to know her."
Oberon could see where the game was headed, no matter what direction he moved, he was going to lose. He toppled over his king and queen and looked at Papa. "A little less than six years ago, Sarah Williams did what no mortal has ever done; she beat the Goblin King at his own game in his own Labyrinth." He kept his tone moderate, trying to sound fair. "None of us thought the boy would pull anything like this…We all thought that like a whipped whelp he'd lick his wounds and that would be it…No one thought he'd go after the girl!" He pulled on his beard with one hand. "I'd heard rumors that he'd been infatuated… but I never once suspected…"
"Wait, did you say Labyrinth?" Papa stood up, and leaned over the High King. "Good Lord man! Don't any of you people keep up with what's being written about you? I know the story of the Labyrinth… and the Goblin King and the girl… he loves."
"Loves?" Oberon sounded incredulous. "A man in love does not do such things to the woman he loves….."
Papa raised a brow, giving Oberon a look that could have soured milk. "Apples don't fall far from the tree."
Sheepishly Oberon snickered, "I think perhaps good sir, you should tell me the tale of this…Labyrinth, and its King….and this girl…"
Papa grabbed the High King by the arm, "You got anything resembling a pub? This one has to be told over a long tall beer."
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A few hours and a few beers later, the two men sat under the shade of an oak. "You mean to tell me he just let her go?"
"She beat him," Papa said taking another long drink of the beer in his tankard.
"No she didn't." Oberon argued looking at the other. "He let her go home to grow up… what was it you said, she was too old to turn, but too young to keep…. He let her go…"
"Sneaky," suggested the newly turned Fae. "Would a man of honor…."
"Oh honor be damned, he's a jilted lover…. You're sure about your facts?" Oberon was quickly sobering up. "Perhaps you're right; perhaps I should get to know this girl…. Before my son does something else."
Papa shrugged, "I can't imagine anything more he could do; he got her with child in the middle of a performance!"
"You don't know my son…. He's capable of almost anything, given the right circumstances." Oberon tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I shall find a way to meet this girl, stealthy so he does not suspect anything… What is the best way to meet an actress?"
"Find her agent and ask what kind of work she's doing right now." Papa suggested taking off his shoes and wiggling his toes in the grass. "Last I heard, she was doing some kind of voice over work."
"Voice over?" Oberon screwed up his face. "What is that?"
"Advertizing," Papa explained.
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Oberon, dressed now in an Armani suit and looking like a wealthy businessman, strolled contently though the brisk air toward the ad agency. The information Papa had given him on how to locate Sarah had been sound. He was looking forward to the meeting with the add agency. He had kept a few mundane businesses going in the mortal world, as they gave good cover when he or some other Fae needed to be in the Above. Entering the building he checked his watch, right on time.
Sarah was seated in the sound booth, reading the text of the ad over and over to memorize it to perfection. She placed the paper down and looked over at the director, awaiting her signal to speak. He nodded and she looked at the microphone. "First National of New York, come and grow with our family."
Oberon stood beside the owner of the agency and smiled slightly. The girl's voice had been pleasing on a stage, and here it was even more so. "I'd like to meet the young lady." He said quietly to the other.
Sarah read six different versions of the same ad, each time she'd read it over until she had it in her mind and then do the ad in one take. After two hours the director announced they were done. She gathered her belongings and exited the sound booth to find the Agency owner awaiting her in the hall.
"Miss Williams I'd like you to meet one of our more important clients…" He motioned toward the impressive man also in the hall. "This is Mr.Auberon, Sarah. One of his companies is Avalon Crystal…"
"How do you do," Sarah extended her hand. "I'm familiar with your stemware; my mother has a very large collection of the Coventry Dream line."
"One of my more successful lines," he held her hand a bit longer than necessary but she didn't pull away.
"Your glass is very beautiful," Sarah commented lightly. "Almost too pretty to use, I'm always afraid of breaking a piece."
"Miss Williams," the English gentleman addressed her as if he were remembering something. "Are you the same Miss Williams who stared in the Midsummer's Night Dream this past season?"
"I am." She admitted.
"I had the pleasure of seeing you perform, young lady." Auberon kept his tone friendly. "You're very talented; I'm surprised you didn't go on to more stage work or even something on the small screen."
Sarah placed a hand on her tummy. "Voice over work is easier on an expectant mother." She explained without saying much.
He gave her a indulgent smile. "Ah, so when is the child due?"
"March," Sarah said happily.
John McMannon, the agency owner listened to the banter with a pleasant smile. More than anything he liked keeping his clients happy. And if talking to the little girl made Auberon happy it was fine with him. "The Avalon Glass Works is bringing one of its Art Glass lines over." He said as a means of keeping the conversation on business. "They are looking for a spokesperson for their ads."
Sarah looked at the English gent. "Art Glass?"
"Oh a little line that has given us some success in Europe, and we would like to test the waters here as it were." The man said lightly. "We have some fine pieces, crystal eggs, mythical creatures, and some lovely decorative spheres in all sorts of colors…opaque and translucent."
"Sounds like something that's going to be right up my mother's ally." Sarah laughed lightly. "She loves glass brick-a-brake."
"McMannon," Auberon said in a voice that dripped authority; "I rather like the tone of this young lady's voice." He smiled at Sarah, "How would you like to be the voice of Avalon Glass?"
"Well, I'm available from now until March when a certain little gent is going to command my attention…" Sarah warned.
"I'm sure we can work out a nice schedule." He shot a look over at the owner of the agency. "I'd like Miss Williams to be under exclusive contract."
"Oh but sir," Sarah protested. "I doubt you have that much work for me… and I need…"
"I'll make it worth your efforts." Oberon promised the girl whose hand he was still holding lightly. "Come now Sarah, Sarah you'll join the Avalon family."
The hair on the back of her nick rose and prickled, Sarah ignored it. "Alright…" She looked at John. "I'd love to work with Avalon Glass…."
Releasing her hand Oberon placed a hand under her chin, "I promise to make it all worth your wile my dear."
Sarah shivered, wondered what it was about this man that seemed so familiar. Then she noticed something, something that had escaped her. She sniffed lightly. "Excuse me, but … that's a very extraordinary scent… I think I've smelled it before…"
Auberon felt the corner of his lips twitch; "Indeed? How odd, I have it made to order."
"Where?" she asked quickly thinking she'd found an avenue to finding Jay as all other leads were coming up dry.
"A little distiller in London." The High King said easily. "Why do you ask?"
"It's very like the scent worn by someone I care about a great deal… someone I'm having difficulty finding…" She said softly. "Perhaps your distiller has an address for my friend."
"Perhaps," Oberon notices Sarah seemed more fragile than he'd originally thought. "My dear, would you allow me to take you to tea, I can regale you with stories of my wonderful glass works."
Sarah felt her knees go wobbly. "I think I'd better sit down first." She moved to a chair and took long slow breathes. Oberon and McMannon were both at her side, Sarah looked up at them. "These spells come and go nothing to worry about. I just need to be thinking of eating soon." She assured the men, but had her own doubts. She looked at Auberon, "If that offer for tea still stands, I'd love to."
Mr. Auberon offered her his arm and escorted her out the door to his waiting limo.
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Papa was walking though the grove, thinking about the new season that would be starting on Broadway, and the new directors coming up. He saw Oberon in the clearing setting up the chess board. "How did your trip go?"
"You're right; I should have gotten to know her sooner." The High King took a seat and moved the first piece. "She's much too good for the boy."
"Is she well?" Papa moved the next piece.
"She could be better." Oberon admitted. "I think I may have to send her a little gift from here."
"A gift?" Papa's voice was quizzical.
"She's carrying a Fae child… and it's… depleting her system… she needs nutrients only Fae food… Fae Fruit to be exact can provide." Oberon made his second move.
"It won't harm her, will it?" His concern was open and honest.
"Not at all," Oberon promised.
Papa looked at the board, saw the style of moves his opponent was using and made a bold move. "Good, then by all means send her something nice. Do you have something in mind?"
"Apples," Oberon frowned as he made his next move thinking it was bold as well.
"Checkmate." Papa said and sat back with a sheepish grin.
